OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 71

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS COLUMN

FOR SENIORS AND JUNIORS.

(Conducted by Magister, to whom all com municutions must be addressed.)

[iIAGISTER will he glad to receive Xuture notes, marked papers containing educational articles, diagrams, details of experiments, etc., of scholastio interest to teachers and pupils. Correspondents must use only one. side of the paper, and whether using a pen name or not, must send noth name and address. 1 DAFFODILS AT GORE. The following table by the Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt, of Gore, is interesting as showing the earliness of the daffodil season this year. I should like to get a series of similar observations on the. blossoming and leafing of fruit and other deciduous trees, and blossoming of spring and other flowers. It was onlv because Ivlr G. M. Thomson, M.P., F.L.S., kept a Nature diary for many years that ho was able to publish the “A New Zealand Naturalist’s Calendar.” In his covering note the Rev. M. A Rugby Pratt says:—“Allow me to thank you for the interest ’and profit of your columns.” It is nice to be appreciated: Daffodils at Gore. COMPARATIVE DATES OF FLOWERING.

NOTES FOR OCTOBER. During October the sun gains on the clock day bv 'day until by November 1 it is 16 minutes ah'ead of the clock. That is equivalent to saying the true sun comes to tho meridian 16 minutes ahead (in advance of) the mean sun. But although the true sun

is still gaining, the gain is daily a vanishing quantity. After November 1 the gain will have to be paid back, because, after that date, the mean sun will commence to overhaul the true sun, and will gradually diminish the time distance between them. A little reflection will bring it home to us that the cause of this is this: The earth is beginning to move with increased orbital velocity. The quicker it moves in orbit the more of its surface (at any paralell) must turn axially, in order to bring the meridian of any place to the sun, and the more of its terrestrial surface it has to turn round, the longer time it will take. This is selfevident, for this reason: Although the orbital daily velocity is a changing and fluctuating quantity, the axial rotation is a fixed quantity, which has not varied within the history of astronomy. The earth’s orbital activity being on the increase, there must be some reason for it. Apart altogether from mathematical reasons and calculations, observation supplies an answer. Let anyone look at the sun through a broken piece of prepared glass, or smoked glass—anything to protect the eye,—you will observe, without my telling you, that the sun’s horizontal diameter is much greater than it was last June. For example, if you measure the disc with a pair of school compasses now, and, say, at Christmas, you will find a difference, although it is so many million miles away. This increased size tells us that we arc drawing nearer to the sun. All objects got bigger the nearer we approach them. You have repeatedly observed that. Now comes in something you may know, or you may not know. It will bear repetition anyway. Every heavenly body attracts more or less every other celestial body. This attraction is due to the combined masses of the two bodies—in this case a star and a planet, the sun being the star and the earth being the planet. Now, the sun is, roughly, 300,000 times as massive as the earth. It stands to reason, therefore, that such an enormous mass as the sun must exorcise a tremendous central pull on such an inferior mass as our planet—the earth. In the orbital curve —Scptcm-bor-Dccember —the earth has a descending movement from Equinox to Southern Tropic. Moreover, it approaches nearer and nearer the sun day by day until the end of the year. The consequence is that, although the sun is at such an enormous distance, any departure on the part of the earth from the mean distance which separates us from our star impedes or increases our orbital velocity. In the present case wo are dawing nearer the sun at a rate proportionate to (1) the two masses (2) the square of the distance separating the masses. That is to say, providing the two masses remained at the same density, and the greater mass succeeded in pulling inwards the lesser mass, until the radius of orbit was not 93. but. say, (millions in this case) of miles, our speed in orb.t would not bo twice what it was, but four times. In other words, our speed in orbit would increase from what it is at present about 18 miles a second —to 72 miles a second. Of course this could not possibly happen, and I only bring in this hypothetical case to illus* "ate what is meant by the ‘‘ square of tue distance separating the masses.” This distance varies every day in the year, and is known by the term “Radius "V cctor. Well, then, the sun looks bigger, wo are approaching nearer, it has the pull on us, our speed in orbit is increasing, the earth docs more work, it is more active, the segment of arc the earth moves along daily is much longer in October than it was in September, consequently the sun’s displacement is greater, and it takes longer and longer for the Dunedin meridian (or any other) to make a transit Ticross the sun’s disc. I must now hasten to finish my answer to “ Tussock ” with regard to variations in time. Those times given by men and. those given by others.

SUXHI3E AXD ST'XSET : DUXEDIX PARALLEL. Sunrise. Sunset. Sunlight.

>Jote. —Tho above-mentioned times arc for the intersection of the Dunedin parallel and the standard meridian. Dunedin sunrise, corrected for difference of time, would be about minutes later than the above. The calculated refractive for October is about 3min 20scc. Therefore, add four minutes to my sunrise column to get sunrise at Dunedin, and add 11 minutes in order to get sunset at Dunedin. Or. add minutes to both columns, then correct for the October mean refracture as follows: —3min 20sec sooner in the morning and 3min 20scc later at sunset. J. F. Morris. CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES. What is a weed? This question is raised by Richmond’s notes. Is gorse one? I read somewhere some time ago that in Russia it is cultivated with the greatest care, and in St. Petersburg is a greenhouse plant. Is that so? Weed or no wood, a mass of it in full bloom is a magnificent display of gold Are there two varieties? On the Tomahawk road two distinct shades arc seen. If it were less plentiful I am sure heads of it would bo found in drawing rooms. By the by, who has noticed in a florist’s in Princes street the blaze of colour and artistic effect got by using gorse as a decoration? “R M.” (Manapouri) is the second correspondent this season who refers to cuckoos feeding their young. In whose nest? Any others in tho nest? In forwarding his notes for October. Mr Morris writes: —“The reply to “Tussock ” will be forwarded in a few days, together with a table whereby any schoolboy in the Fifth and Sixth Standards can determine the longitude at sight ”

The Rev. Rugby Pratt’s table suggests a question I have been intending to ask for some time. Will some daffodil expert send along a list of daffodils giving a succession of blooms from the earliest? From first to last the season lasts perhaps a couple of months or more. The Wesley Club, Gore, sends me its syllabus. Unlike most literary and debating clubs, it carries its session through the summer months, the syllabus sent giving a weekly subject from October 6 to March 50 next year, the three Mondays preceding January 5 being excepted. Naturally, some of the questions to be considered have a religious trend—but what good subject hasn’t? Here are some of them:—Town v. Country Life; A Night with the Poets; Debate. Party Government v. Elective Executive; Is Suffragette Militancy Justifiable?; Beauty Spots I Have Seen; Debate, Daylight-Saving Bill; Child Humour; Are Picture Shows Elevating? (I am hoping soon to write a note on “movies”); The Aeroplane and Its Future; Clockology; The Power of Purpose. These as samples show what activity exists in the Gore Wesley Club. But there is one drawback, I think. More could be made of rambling walks and observation work. In Mr Poppelwell Gore has a botanist of high rank; in Mr Beattie a local historian; and in Mr J. Nicol a geologist who is known further afield. These and others could give very material help in observational journeys. Has Gore a good entomologist? By some moans a half-sheet of Mr Morris’s table has gone astray with mo. I’ll have another hunt for it. I am sorry, because some teachers arc keeping the tables for reference. “Rustic” (Balelutha) will got a.n answer through the post in a day or two. Yes, “Jack,” my note last week should have read “minima were,” not “minimum were.” But did you see it, or d:d someone else put you up to it? Dear “ Magistor,”—Just' a note to say that the shining cuckoo was noticed here yesterday, 10 days earlier than any other year that I have any record of. This is apparently a noted resort even for cuckoos, but no one has as y'-t found their nest, although they have been seen feeding young ones partly fledged. Anyway, we may have bettor luck this year. A clutch of paradise ducks has also made its appearance for both r or worse, and I do not recollect seeing young paradise ducks so early. It’s not uncommon to see young teal (scauo) at mid-winter.—l am, etc., R. M., Manapouri.

NATURE NOTES. By Richmond. Dear “ Magister,” Sleptcmber and October' arc the busiest months of the year for the gardener. Not only has he to sow the seeds for the coming season, but he has to remove those which Nature has sown with a full hand. Well for him if ho be of a botanical turn of mind, for here is plenty of food for thought. Questions without number press themselves upon him. Two present themselves with unfailing regularity year after year—Why are there so many seedling weeds, and how do they come here? Those who have allowed the golden pyrethrum —used as an .edging—to bloom and seed will notice the tiny yellow plants springing up in hundreds, which, if allowed to remain, will soon overrun the place Those daisy flowers have no parachute, as the dandelion has. The wind swaying the plants scatters the seeds around, and mest of the seedlings come up near the parent. The leaves arc highly aromatic, and the flower heads are used medicinally, from which arises the name fever fen. Where a. fireman’s helmet (Balsam imp.ations) has seeded a very different condition will bo seen. The seeds arc scattered everywhere. The seed-pods burst on the slightest touch, and the seeds are thrown out as by a catapult. Grown-ups as well as children like to press the ripe pods for the purpose of noting the discharge of the seeds. Although' called weeds—because they are not wanted by the cultivator, —these plants are to the thoughtful person objects of groat, interest. To him life is all the sweeter for these weeds. Another common garden weed is the Euphorbia lathyrus, or caper spurge. This spurge has caper-liko seeds, and abounds in poisonous juice of a milk-like nature. If a drop of this be placed on the tongue, a burning sensation will be felt which lasts for some time. This plant in its second year presents quite a different appearance from the first year, when it is in the leafy stage. The leaves are several inches in length, narrow, and in pairs, crossing at right angles. The second season the plant blooms it forms no more leaves, but lias a leafy bracts of a rounded shape. During the period of flowering the plant is called upon to do extra work, and so evidently the leaves are changed to suit the altered conditions. In some ferns, Lomaria, for instance, the fertile leaf is quite distinct from the barren frond. It will be noticed that many plants of the golden feather edging have lost the yellow tint and tend to become green. There is a curious disease in plants called Chlorosis, which shows itself by the absence of the colouring matter. Marie Slopes says “Chlorosis” is an obscure • disease, but in some cases it certainly appears to be caused “by a lack of iron, and without iron the human blood ' is not red nor plant granules green.” In variegated varieties, such as veronica, white leaves are to be seen entirely colourless, while other leaves have lost the variegation and have become quite green. I have tried to root the white cuttings, but, of course, have never succeeded. Those which lived for a time always had some patch of green which enabled the leaf to carry on the work, the colourless ones being non-produccrs During the early part of the month great numbers of green finches, associated with gold finches, wore to be seen. The green finch lias been described as the farmer’s greatest enemy at harvest-time. Mr Jas. Drummond mentions that “it is stated that in the Central Otago district the green finch is the worst offender of all in the orchards, as it attacks the trees while they are still in flower and just as the fruit is forming.” I have had to protect apple bloom from the attacks of sparrows which took a fancy to eating the buds. It is quite possible that birds learn those habits from one another. Crocus flowers, primroses, currant (red and white) buds, and gooseberry buds are picked off by sparrows, but the strangest of all was to sec how the sparrows destroyed carnations, picking off dozens of loaves and giving the plants the appearance of being eaten bv rabbits. Had [ not seen all iheso I would have hardly credited it; but now, to my mind, the sparrow is par excellence a public nuisance. Last season my garden was overrun with slugs; this season 1 have not a single

one, although I took no more than the ordinary remedy of liming. It is not easy to account for the simplest facts in Nature.

Yellow Trumpets— 1011. 1012. 1913. Golden Bell Sept. D Sept. 15 Sept. .16 Emperor Sept. 23 Oct. 8 Sept. 14 Rugilobus Sept. 25 Sept. 22 Sept. 1G P. R. Barr Sept. 28 Oct. 8 Sept. 20 Willie Barr Sept. 23 Sept. 30 Sept. 16 Bi-colour Trumpets— Princops Sept. 8 Sept. 12 Sept. 7 Sir Wltr. Raleigh Sept. 2 Sept. 10 Sept. C Victoria Sept. 10 Sept. 15 Sept. 14 Empress Sept. 10 Sept. 15 Sept. 8 Apricot Sept16 Oct. 8 Sept. 20 Madame Plemp ... Sept. 28 Sept. 21 Sept. 17 White Trumpets— Tortuosus Sept. 13 Sept. 18 Sept. G Matson Vincent ... Sept. 27 Sept. 2G Sept. 19 Cernuns Pulcher Sejit. 28 Sept. 30 Sept. 14 Madame de Graaf Oct. 2 Oct. 2 Sept. 24 Mrs Thompson ... Sept. C Sept. 15 Sept. 2 1 n com parabil is— Frank Miles Sept. 14 Sept. 22 Sept. 15 Duke of Buccleugh Sept. 25 Oct. 3 Sept. 18 Sir Watkin Sept. 12 Sept. 15 Sept. 7 Vesuvius Sept. 30 Oct. 2 Sept24 Lucifer Sept. 25 Oct.. 2 Sept. 18 Gloria Mundi Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Sept. 24 Flamingo Sept. 25 Oct. 1 Sept. 20 Flambeau Sept. 20 Sept. 21 Sept12 Artemis Sept. 13 Sept. 13 Sept. 3 Goliath Sept. 30 Oct. 2 Sept. 24 Barrii — Lady Godiva Sept. 23 Oct. 4 Sept22 Albatross Oct. 4 Oct. 4 Sept. 20 Crown Prince Oct. 6 Oct. 4 Sept. 23 Dorothy Wemyss Oct. 0 Oct. 19 Oct. 8 Conspicuus ... ... Sept. 28 Sept. 29 Sept. 22 Leedsii — Mrs Langtry Sept. 30 Oct. 1 Sept. 2G White Lady Sept. 20 Oct. 1 Sept. 23 Ariadne Sept. 24 Sept. 22 Sept. 17 Duchess of Brabant Sept. 15 Sept. 21 Sept. 10 Duchess of Westminster Sept. 22 Sept. 2G Sept. 20 Burbidgei— Constance Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Sept. 25 Ellen Barr Sept. 30 Sept. 30 Sept. 20 Baroness Heath Oct. 2 Sept. 2G Sept. 24 Firebrand Oct. 4 Oct. 4 Sept. 22 Poeticus — Grandiflorus Sept. 18 Sept. 16 Sept. 17 Cassandra Oct. G Oct. 6 Sept. 27 Horace Oct. 4 Oct. 2 Sept. 20 Poetaz — Elvira Oct. 2 Oct. 2 Sept. 17 Double — Argent Sept. 17 Sept. 21 Sept. 7 Golden Rose Sept. 25 Oct. 1 Sept. 18 Sulphur Phcenix Sept. 21 Oct. 1 Sept. 17 Orange Phoenix Sept. 15 Sept. 21 Sept. S Golden Phoenix Sept. 15 Sept. 22 Sept. S

h. in. 8. ll. ra. s. h. in. P. October. 1 5 37 13 C 2 25 12 25 12 2 5 35 15 6 3 4G 12 28 32 3 5 33 19 6 5 00 12 31 44 4 5 31 25 6 C 21 12 34 56 ft 5 23 49 6 7 39 12 38 08 6 5 27 55 G 8 57 12 41 20 5 05 43 C 10 15 12 44 32 8 5 23 50 6 11 34 12 47 44 9 ft 21 58 G 12 54 12 50 50 10 5 20 00 0 14 14 12 54 08 11 5 18 14 6 15 34 12 57 20 12 5 ie 22 6 1G 54 13 00 32 13 5 14 32 G 18 15 13 03 44 14 5 12 41 6 19 37 13 OB 5G 15 5 10 56 G 21 5G 13 10 00 16 5 9 6 G 22 18 13 13 12 17 6 7 18 C 23 41 13 1G 24 18 5 30 6 25 0G 13 19 36 19 6 3 42 G 2G 30 13 22 48 20 5 2 3 6 27 47 13 25 44 21 ft 0 17 6 29 13 13 28 56 22 4 68 35 6 30 35 13 32 00 23 4 56 51 G 32 00 13 35 12 24 4 55 11 C 33 27 13 38 16 25 4 53 35 6 34 47 13 41 12 26 4 51 57 6 36 13 13 44 1G 27 4 50 10 G 37 40 13 47 20 28 4 48 42 C 30 OG 13 50 24 29 4 47 0!) G 40 29 13 53 20 30 4 45 34 C 42 00 13 56 24 31 4 44 03 G 43 23 13 59 20 November. 1 4 43 29 G 45 00 _ i. 14 02 24